Lucknow: The Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court on Monday ordered the release of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders Pravin Togadia and Ashok Singhal, and former BJP MP Ram Vilas Vedanti, who were yesterday arrested during a crackdown aimed at foiling the saffron outfit`s "84 kosi parikrama yatra" in Ayodhya.

The three leaders were among around 1,700 people arrested in the massive crackdown yesterday.

The High Court ordered the release while hearing a petition which described the arrests as unlawful.

The order came even as hundreds of VHP activists today demonstrated and pelted stones on police in Delhi against the arrests.

According to police, the VHP activists gathered at Jantar Mantar and marched upto Parliament Street police station around 11.30 pm. They pelted stones on the police.

"As soon as they started pelting stones, we used water cannons and they dispersed," a police official said.

Starting on Sunday, the planned `Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra` was to have lasted till September 13 criss-crossing six districts of Uttar Pradesh. Following the crackdown, it was symbolically launched by the saffron outfit in Ayodhya.